Friday, July 20, 2007

Everybody loves a delicious sweet surprise, don't they? Think about those little easter treats and only then can you fully realize the power of poor quality milk chocolate. Ah, the smooth and creaminess of it all! Yes, chocolate is a powerful drug. Combine that with the power of Jesus and you will begin to understand what we experienced last night!

About 35 folks got to enjoy chocolaty goodness last night at the premiere of Speakeasy DC's Fringe Festival show, Chocolate Jesus. It was the first of at least two sold-out performances, according to Fringe executive director, Damian Sinclair. Our talented cast and director put on a wonderful show and I was so happy to be a part of it! It was a fierce brew of personal stories, all reflecting on the theme of religion. The stories were all real -- this is a nonfiction performance -- and are, by turns, heart-warming, hilarious, nearly unbelievable and truly poignant. Stephanie talks about her time as a fertility goddess (really). Travis recounts his trials as a recovering southern baptist (ouch). Eva laments her fate as a child of Argentinian hippies, while Amy gives us the low-down on her crazy Jewish summer camp. All of the performances were pitch-perfect and very earnest. This is the opposite of acting -- this is real storytelling at its best.

I composed some music for the show that I'm more than happy to share. (My particular favorite is "postshow," a megamix. Where else can you find "If I were a rich man," Madonna's "Like a prayer," Beethoven's 9th Symphony "Ode to Joy," Jeffrey's "Jazz piano improv on Madonna's like a prayer," and the "We shall overcome" latin house mix?)

Download away, kids -- just remember that the bulk of my music is elsewhere.

Back to the show... I hafta say that last night's crowd was great: receptive, warm and truly eager to hear the stories. I hope that we have the same amazing reception next time!

Special thanks and shout-outs to cast, director, volunteers and everyone who made it happen!